Mechanical dishwasher



March 14, 1933. J WIE|DMAN 1,901,683

MECHANICAL DISHWASHER Original Filed March 29, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E5. I, SB

March 14, 1933- J. H. WEIDMAN 1,901,683

MECHANICAL DI SHWASHER Original Filed. March 29. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT orries JOHN H. W'EIDMAN, F MABGELLUS, NEW YORK MECHANICAL DISHWASHER- Original application filed March 29, 1927, Serial No. 179,249. Divided and this application filed. April 21,

1930. Serial No. 446,011.

This invention relates to a mechanical dishwasher of the class set forth in my Patent No. 1,757,258, May, 6, 1930, of which this application is a division.

The main object is to obtain a more uniform distribution of the washing fluid throughout the interior area of the vat from top to bottom with greater force and with less water and power than has heretofore been practiced. I

Another object is .to arrange the open work dish-supporting trays at different levels above and below the revolving head so that the dishes therein may receive the direct im- 3 pact of the jets of water issuing from the orifices of said head as the latter is rotated and to causethe jets of water to traverse the entire areas of both trays and interior of the vat. so 7 A further object is to provide means whereby the food particles displaced from the dishes in the lower tray are'separated from the cleaner water and the latter recirculated from the bottom of the vat through the distributing head and thereby to reduce to a minimum the amountof water required for dish-washing purposes.

Another object is to provide means whereby fresh water may be introduced through the distributing head independently of the recirculating means for rinsing or washing purposes as may be desired.

A further object is to provide means whereby the washing fluid may be drained oil from the vat and from the recirculating means while the distributing head is at rest or even when fresh water is being supplied thereto, thus permitting the interior of the vat to be thoroughly cleansed by the distribution of the fresh water therein while drawing olf the foul water from the bottom.

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the machine will be brought out in the following description.

, In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan of a mechanical dishwasher embodying the various features of my invention, a portion of the cover being broken away to show the interior mechanism.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken in the plane of line, 22, Figure 1. c.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional viewtaken in the plane of line 83, Figure 2, showing a portion of the pump case broken away.

Figure 4 is an enlarged. top plan of the pleng'al portion of the revoluble distributing Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the center of the distributing head taken in the plane of line 55, Figure 4:.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on line 66, Figure 2.

Figure 7 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of a portion of the distributing head showing the angular disposition of the discharge orifices'in opposite sides thereof.

As illustrated, this machine comprisesa vat 1 whichis substantially square or rectangular in top plan and is provided with a frusto-conical bottom 2 and a substantially flat top lid or cover 3, the latter movable or removable as desired.

The upper end of the vat is provided with an outwardly, upwardly and downwardly turned flange forming a substantially horizontal ledge 5 and a slightly raised bead 6 surrounding the ledge5--,the rear side of the top portion of the vat being extending above the remaining portions to form a back flange 7.

The area of the cover 3- is slightly greater than the interior area of thevat so that its marginal edges may rest upon the ledge 5 where it is held against lateral movement by the adjacent walls of the bead 6 but may be removed and replaced at will.

Suitable dish-supporting trays or openwork baskets 8 and 9 are removably supported at different levels withinthe vat, the lower tray 8 being supported upon the marginal edges of the bottom 2 while the upper tray 9 is supported at its upper end upon the marginal ledge 5 thus leaving an intervening space between the two trays for the reception ofa rotary distribute 10c arranged in staggered relation to those of located directly beneath the bottom --2 the exterior of the vat to approximately the center or axis thereof. v The inner end of the inlet pipe 11 is provided with an up-turned elbow -12' upon which is journaled the central portion of a distributing head 13 adapted to rotate about the axis of the vat and provided with oppositely extending arms of equal length and weight for counter-balancing purposes.

This distributing head 13' is hollow or tubular and is provided with a central opening communicating with the interior of the water inlet pipe -11, Figure 5, the opposite ends of said head being preferably closed while the remaining portions are provided with lower and upper sets of discharge nozzles 14 having relatively narrow fanshaped orifices 14 those of one set being the other set as shown more clearly in Figure 2 so as to distribute the jets of water issuing therefrom over practically the entire area of the interior of the vat from top to bottom thereof.

The distributing head 13 is rotatable in a horizontal plane within the space between the lower and upper trays 8 and 9 but somewhat nearer and directly below the upper tray which is adapted to carry the less soiled dishes such as glassware and the like while the lower tray is preferably used to support the plates, platters and analogous articles to which the food products are more liable to adhere.

The orifices 1 l' are relatively narrow transversely of the tubular head -13 butare elongated lengthwise of said head and diagonally thereto to cause the water to issue therefrom with considerable force in the form of fan-shaped spray ets in overlapping relation without interfering with each other. v The orifices of thte upper set are preferably vertical to discharge their jets vertically against the dishes in the upper tray while the orifices in the nozzles of the lower set at opposite sides of the axis of rotation of the head are deflected laterally and downwardly in reverse directions at relatively slight angles to said axis to cause the jets issuing therefrom to rotate the head.

Under these conditions foreign matter which may adhere to the dishes in the lower tray 8 will be displaced and caused to lodge on the conical bottom 2 away from the dishes while the foreign matter which is displaced from the dishes in the upper tray will be comparatively slight and precipitated into the lower tray to be again displaced by the downwardly spreading jets from the distributing head.

The outer end of the inlet pipe 11 is connected to an upright pipe T -15 having its upper end connected to'another pipe T 16-, one branch of which is connected to a cold Water supply pipe -17 and the other end to a hot water supply pipe 17.

These supply pipes 17 and 17 are provided with separate valves 18 and 18 operable at will to control the fresh water supply to the distributing head 13 through the inlet pipe 11.

The lower end of the pipe T 15 is connected by a pipe 19 to the pressure side of a centrifugal pump -20 having its suction side connected to .a discharge pipe in the apex of the conical bottom 2 of the vat 1.

This outlet pipe 21- is extended through a water-tight gland -22 in the apex of said bottom and is provided with a screen or filter cap 23 within the vat and just below the lower tray -8 to prevent the entrance of solids into the pump.

The pump 20 and motor 2t are of the vat 1 and are supported by a bracket 25 which in turn is secured by any suitable fastening means to the bottom 2-.

The lower side of the pump case 20 is provided with a drainage 26 leading therefrom and including therein a valve 27 and a trap -28.

The valve 27' may be opened and closed by means of an operating rod 29- which extends upwardly along the rear side of the vat through an opening in the marginal bead -6- and is provided with a member 30 by which it may be operated.

The pipe -19- is provided with a check valve 31 between the inlet pipe -11 and ressue side of the pump 20 to allow the fi tened water entering the discharge pipe -2l to be recirculated by the pump '20- through the pipe 19 and inlet pipe -11- and thence through the distributing head -13- and into the interior of the vat, thus permitting the use of the same waterfor recirculation, if desired, the check valve 3lserving to prevent the down-flow of fresh water from either of the supply pipes 17 and -18 into the pump through the pipe 19 and also to prevent return flow of the water from the inlet -l1 through th pipe -19- to the pump. a c

Current may be supplied to the motor from any available source of power through cables -32 to which is connected an electric switch -33 located directly under the flange at the front of the machine and ageoines's and analagous articles, said supplemental tray being provided with a perforated bottom to allow the washing fluid to drain therefrom and is held against lateral displace ment by a ring 8" on the tray -8.

Operation Assuming that the trays 8 and 9 with the dishes to be washed therein are 'placed in operative position within the vat and that the lid or cover 3- is closed, then, one or the other or both of the valves '18 and 18 may be opened to allow fresh water to pass through the inlet pipe 11 and thence through the distributing head 13- into the interior of the vat so that 'thatthe supplemental tray -8 is removthe exit of the water through the lower nozzles will cause the rotation of the head by reason of the angular disposition of the nozzles relatively to the axis of rotation.

The water issuing from the several nozzles of the distributing head in the form of fanshaped sprays or jets will be forded under considerable pressure through the open work trays 8 and 9- and against the dishes therein with more or less glancing impact due to the spread of the jets and to the rotation of the head, this operation being continued as long as may be desirable to use fresh water.

Under these conditions if the drainage valve 27 is opened the filtered Water resulting from the washing of the dishes will escape through the drainage outlet 28- through any suitable waste pipe, not shown.

On the other hand, if the drainage valve 27- is closed a limited quantity of fresh water may be allowed to collect in the vat sufficient to cover the screen 23 whereupon the valves 18- and 18- in the fresh water supply pipes may be closed and the electric motor started by the proper operation of the switch member 34.

The operation of the motor -2lwill cause a corresponding operation of the pump 20 to draw the filtered washing fluid through the discharge pipe 21 and force it upwardly through the pipe 19-, through the check valve 31- and thence through the inlet pipe 11 and distributing head 13 to the interior of the vat which causes the rotation of the distributing head to effect a thorough cleansing of the dishes in both trays 8 and 9.

The washing fluid precipitated to the bottom of the tank is again recirculated by the pump 20 through the pipes 19, ll, and distributing head 13-, this recirculating operation being continued as long as desired or until the dishes are thoroughly cleansed at which time "the drainage valve -.27 :and one :or both of .the fresh water .supply valves 18 and 18'" again open tojallowthe introduction of fresh water into the interior of the vat through the distributing head -13 'for rinsing purposes.

After'the-dishes have been properly rinsed the fresh. water supply valves 18 and 18 may be closed and .the trays 847 and 9 with the dishes therein allowed to remain in the ."vat until thoroughly dried.

The upper tray 9' with the dishes therein may then be removed 'to permit the removal of the supplemental tray .8 and dishes from the lower tray, whereupon the cleansed and dried dishes from all of thetrays may be stored away forfuture use, the trays being then free for re-use'when desired. i

. (71785 It will be noted on reference to Figure 2 ably supported'inthe lower tray .8 and when removed'the screen 23 may also be -may lodge on the bottom of'the vat through the outlet pipes21 and '28 when the valve-"27-is opened. V

The tray 8 is also'removablethrough the open upper end of the vat when desired but is preferably left in place.

It will also be noted that when the upper tray 9-, supplemental tray 8 and screen 23- are removed and the valve 27 opened fresh water, either hot or cold, may be projected into the interior of the vat through the nozzles in the head 13 causing the rotation of the latter and a thorough cleansing of the interior of the vat and lower tray 8 when in place, the fresh water being allowed to fiow out through the drainage pipe 21, pump 20 and waste pipe 23 to thoroughly cleanse those parts, all of which affords a convenient means for maintaining the interior of the vat and water passages in a thoroughly sanitary condition.

It will be further noted that under all washing conditions any grease or refuse which may be liberated from the dishes is precipitated to the bottom of the vat below the level of the lower tray where it remains in a more or less'quiet state without liability of being recirculated through the vat and on to the dishes, but may be withdrawn at the end-of the washing operation by simply removing the screen 23- and introducing fresh water into the vat through the head '13- as previously explained whereby the fresh water will carry off the refuse through the pipe 21.

In-other words, during the recirculation of the washing fluid by the operation of the pump 20- the filtered water passing through the screen 23 is .by-passed around the outside of the vat through the pipes 19 and 11- rather than from the bottom upwardly through the vat thereby avoiding the agitation and projection of the fouled water against'the dishes;

On the other hand, Where the water pressure is suficient the entire washing and rinsing operations may be performed with pure fresh water to the exclusion. of the recirculating'means in which case the screen -23' might be removed and the valve 27 opened to allow the foul matter to be carried off from the vat as fast as it is 15 displaced from the dishes.

What I claim is:

In a. mechanical dishwasher, a rotatable water-receiving and distributing head provided with a series of spaced discharge nozzles in opposite sides thereof, the nozzles in one side beinginclined to the plane of rotation and those in the other side being perpendicular to said plane, the nozzles of each series having their mouths elongated in parallel planes diagonal t0 the direction of movement of the head to produce parallel spaced fan-shaped jets, and means for introducing water in said head under pressure. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of April, 1930.

JOHN H. WEIDMAN; 

